Hollow Organ Coring Tool with Collapsing Anvil and Method of Use

Abstract

A coring tool for creating a hole in a body vessel or hollow organ. The coring tool includes an expandable anvil against which the cutter can be advanced following passage of the collapsed anvil through the tissue to be excised and subsequent expansion of the anvil.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A coring tool comprising;
 a core shaft and an anvil control shaft, said anvil control shaft being longitudinally translatable relative to the core shaft;   a cutter disposed on the core shaft, said cutter being longitudinally translatable relative to the core shaft;   an expandable anvil disposed on the core shaft, distal to the cutter, said anvil having a proximal end longitudinally fixed to core shaft and a distal end longitudinally fixed to the anvil control shaft;   said expandable anvil having a small diameter configuration for insertion into a hollow body organ, and a large diameter configuration comprising a proximally facing surface opposing the cutter.   
     
     
         2 . The coring tool of  claim 1  wherein the expandable anvil comprises an expandable sleeve comprising a plurality of struts which bend radially outwardly when compressed longitudinally, to create one or more proximally facing surfaces in apposition to the cutter. 
     
     
         3 . The coring tool of  claim 1  wherein the expandable anvil comprises an expandable mesh basket, said expandable mesh basket being configurable upon longitudinal compression to provide a proximally facing surface in apposition to the cutter. 
     
     
         4 . The coring tool of  claim 1  wherein the expandable anvil comprises an expandable mesh basket, said expandable mesh basket being configurable upon longitudinal compression to provide a proximally facing surface in apposition to the cutter. 
     
     
         5 . The coring tool of  claim 1  wherein the expandable anvil comprises an expandable sleeve comprising a plurality of struts which bend radially outwardly when compressed longitudinally, to create one or more proximally facing surfaces in apposition to the cutter, and further comprising bands connecting adjacent struts. 
     
     
         6 . The coring tool of  claim 1  wherein the expandable anvil comprises an expandable sleeve comprising a plurality of struts which bend radially outwardly when compressed longitudinally, to create one or more proximally facing surfaces in apposition to the cutter, and further comprising bands connecting adjacent struts. 
     
     
         7 . The coring tool of  claim 1  wherein the expandable anvil comprises an umbrella comprising a plurality of struts supporting a membrane, said struts connected to the anvil control rod such that longitudinal movement of the anvil control rod causes the umbrella to open and create a proximally facing surface in apposition to the cutter. 
     
     
         8 . The coring tool of  claim 1  wherein the expandable anvil comprises an expandable cone on the anvil control shaft, and a cone spreader disposed on the core shaft, such that longitudinal movement of the anvil control shaft causes the spreader to force the cone toward a large diameter configuration such that the base of the cone expands to provide a proximally facing surface in apposition to the cutter. 
     
     
         9 . The coring tool of  claim 1  wherein the cutter is rotatable relative to the anvil. 
     
     
         10 . The coring tool of  claim 1  further comprising a penetrating distal tip, dispose distal to the anvil, said penetrating tip adapted to pierce tissue of the hollow body organ without first making a pilot incision in the tissue of the hollow body organ. 
     
     
         11 . A coring tool comprising;
 a core shaft;   a cutter disposed on the core shaft, said cutter being longitudinally translatable relative to the core shaft;   an configurable anvil disposed on the core shaft, distal to the cutter, said anvil having a proximal end longitudinally fixed to core shaft;   said configurable anvil having a low profile configuration for insertion into a hollow body organ, and a large profile configuration comprising a proximally facing surface opposing the cutter.   
     
     
         12 . The coring tool of  claim 12  wherein the configurable anvil comprises an expandable sleeve comprising a plurality of struts which bend radially outwardly when compressed longitudinally, to create one or more proximally facing surfaces in apposition to the cutter. 
     
     
         13 . The coring tool of  claim 11  wherein the configurable anvil comprises an expandable mesh basket, said expandable mesh basket being configurable upon longitudinal compression to provide a proximally facing surface in apposition to the cutter. 
     
     
         14 . The coring tool of  claim 11  wherein the configurable anvil comprises an expandable mesh basket, said expandable mesh basket being configurable upon longitudinal compression to provide a proximally facing surface in apposition to the cutter. 
     
     
         15 . The coring tool of  claim 11  wherein the configurable anvil comprises an expandable sleeve comprising a plurality of struts which bend radially outwardly when compressed longitudinally, to create one or more proximally facing surfaces in apposition to the cutter, and further comprising bands connecting adjacent struts. 
     
     
         16 . The coring tool of  claim 11  wherein the configurable anvil comprises an expandable sleeve comprising a plurality of struts which bend radially outwardly when compressed longitudinally, to create one or more proximally facing surfaces in apposition to the cutter, and further comprising bands connecting adjacent struts. 
     
     
         17 . The coring tool of  claim 11  wherein the configurable anvil comprises an umbrella comprising a plurality of struts supporting a membrane, said struts connected to the anvil control rod such that longitudinal movement of the anvil control rod causes the umbrella to open and create a proximally facing surface in apposition to the cutter. 
     
     
         18 . The coring tool of  claim 11  wherein the configurable anvil comprises an expandable cone on the anvil control shaft, and a cone spreader disposed on the core shaft, such that longitudinal movement of the anvil control shaft causes the spreader to force the cone toward a large diameter configuration such that the base of the cone expands to provide a proximally facing surface in apposition to the cutter. 
     
     
         19 . The coring tool of  claim 11  wherein the configurable anvil comprises a plate rotatably disposed on the anvil control shaft. 
     
     
         20 . The coring tool of  claim 11  wherein the configurable anvil comprises a balloon expandable cutting shield. 
     
     
         21 . The coring tool of  claim 11  further comprising a penetrating distal tip, dispose distal to the anvil, said penetrating tip adapted to pierce tissue of the hollow body organ without first making a pilot incision in the tissue of the hollow body organ.